'anthotaxy' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'anthos' and 'taxis', where 'anthos' meant 'flower' and 'taxis' meant 'arrangement' or 'order'.

'anthotaxy' changed from New Latin/Greek formation 'anthotaxis' and was adopted into English botanical usage in the 19th century as 'anthotaxy'.

Initially it meant 'the arrangement/order of flowers' in Greek technical usage; over time it has come to refer both to the arrangement itself and to the study/description of flower arrangement in botany.